Rare Book Monthly Reviews - June - 2012 Issue

Early American Works from M & S Rare Books

Early American Works from M & S Rare Books

M & S Rare Books of Providence, Rhode Island, has issued their Catalogue Ninety-Two of Early American Literature, Medicine & Science, and Thought, Reform & History. In other words, there is a lot of early Americana here, with the highest concentration coming from the 19th century. There are long and short forms of printed material, from books to broadsides, and a substantial number of manuscript items, including personal letters. There are many items you will recognize, others are obscure. Some are real gems. Here are some examples of the over 450 items that are offered within these pages.
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50 Fine Books from Shapero Rare Books

50 Fine Books from Shapero Rare Books

Shapero Rare Books of London has issued a catalogue of 50 Fine Books 2012. These books are “fine” in the sense that they are beautiful books or related items, works of art as well as function. Most...

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The Arctic and Canadiana from Bjarne Tokerud - Bookseller

The Arctic and Canadiana from Bjarne Tokerud - Bookseller

Mine be the task to sing of lands of snow,

Of icy grandeur spread, where'er you go

Bjarne Tokerud – Bookseller, recently issued his Catalogue 60, Arctic & Canadiana. Since most of us shiver at t...

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American Manuscripts from the William Reese Co.

American Manuscripts from the William Reese Co.

The William Reese Company is noted for offering rare books in the field of Americana. This latest catalogue is still overwhelmingly Americana, and the items extremely rare as they are unique, but t...

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Maritime Books from Ten Pound Island Book Co.

Maritime Books from Ten Pound Island Book Co.

The Ten Pound Island Book Company has issued their Maritime List 210. This is a new collection of works pertaining or related to the sea. Ships, fish, whales, yachts, pirates, navies, explorations,...

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Exceptional Material from Donald Heald Rare Books

Exceptional Material from Donald Heald Rare Books

Donald Heald Rare Books has issued A Selection of Fine Books and Manuscripts. These truly are fine books, a catalogue of 100 items filled with works of importance. The catalogue is divided into fiv...

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Ashendene Press Works from Sophie Schneideman Rare Books

Ashendene Press Works from Sophie Schneideman Rare Books

Sophie Schneideman Rare Books is offering a catalogue of The Ashendene Press Collection of Clarence B. Hanson, Jr. We will get to Ashendene in a moment. Clarence Hanson was a newspaperman, publishe...

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Rare Americana from David Lesser Antiquarian Books

Rare Americana from David Lesser Antiquarian Books

David M. Lesser Fine Antiquarian Books recently issued their catalogue No. 125 Rare Americana. Lesser focuses primarily on shorter form material related to America, from a little before the Revolut...

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Antiquarian Material from Samuel Gedge Ltd.

Antiquarian Material from Samuel Gedge Ltd.

Samuel Gedge Ltd. Rare Books has now published their Catalogue XII. Gedge's catalogue is hardly limited to books. It is filled primarily with manuscripts and ephemeral items. What is common to the ...

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Literary Firsts and Other Notable Editions from Whitmore Rare Books

Literary Firsts and Other Notable Editions from Whitmore Rare Books

Whitmore Rare Books has published their Catalogue 5. The Altadena, California, bookseller specializes in “literary first editions and other books of merit.” To that, we will add that most of these ...

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A Miscellany from Sotheran's

A Miscellany from Sotheran's

Henry Sotheran Limited, also known as Sotheran's, has released their Spring Miscellany 2012. What can one say about a miscellany, other than that it is a miscellany? It is not the type of catalogue...

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Part II of the George S. MacManus Co.'s Civil War Series

Part II of the George S. MacManus Co.'s Civil War Series

This month we follow up on the first installment of the latest series of Civil War catalogues from the George S. MacManus Company. This one, quite naturally, is called Civil War II. It is the secon...

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Antique Maps and Plans from Martayan Lan

Antique Maps and Plans from Martayan Lan

Martayan Lan of New York City has published their Catalogue 46, Fine Antique Maps, Globes, City Plans & Views. This catalogue begins with a series of very old maps of the world, displaying early di...

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Latin American Works from Plaza Books

Latin American Works from Plaza Books

Plaza Books has prepared their List 33. Plaza specializes in Latin American works, with Mexico and Central America predominant. Dates range from the 17th to the 20th century, the languages found ar...

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Aleph-Bet Offers More Children's Books

Aleph-Bet Offers More Children's Books

Aleph-Bet Books has issued their Catalogue 101 of Children's Books & Illustrated Books. That heading on the cover, “Nonsense Nonsense!,” is not the title of the catalogue. That is a 110-year-old bo...

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Travel and Exploration from Bestebreurtje Rare Books

Travel and Exploration from Bestebreurtje Rare Books

Gert Jan Bestebreurtje Rare Books has issued their latest selection, Catalogue 146. Travel & Exploration. It is filled with works of historical significance as well as more obscure titles. The trav...

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Rare Book Monthly

  • Swann
    Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books
    December 9, 2025
    Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 156: Cornelis de Jode, Americae pars Borealis, double-page engraved map of North America, Antwerp, 1593.
    Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 206: John and Alexander Walker, Map of the United States, London and Liverpool, 1827.
    Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 223: Abraham Ortelius, Typus Orbis Terrarum, hand-colored double-page engraved world map, Antwerp, 1575.
    Swann
    Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books
    December 9, 2025
    Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 233: Aaron Arrowsmith, Chart of the World, oversize engraved map on 8 sheets, London, 1790 (circa 1800).
    Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 239: Fielding Lucas, A General Atlas, 81 engraved maps and diagrams, Baltimore, 1823.
    Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 240: Anthony Finley, A New American Atlas, 15 maps engraved by james hamilton young on 14 double-page sheets, Philadelphia, 1826.
    Swann
    Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books
    December 9, 2025
    Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 263: John Bachmann, Panorama of the Seat of War, portfolio of 4 double-page chromolithographed panoramic maps, New York, 1861.
    Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 265: Sebastian Münster, Cosmographei, Basel: Sebastian Henricpetri, 1558.
    Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 271: Abraham Ortelius, Epitome Theatri Orteliani, Antwerp: Johann Baptist Vrients, 1601.
    Swann
    Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books
    December 9, 2025
    Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 283: Joris van Spilbergen, Speculum Orientalis Occidentalisque Indiae, Leiden: Nicolaus van Geelkercken for Jodocus Hondius, 1619.
    Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 285: Levinus Hulsius, Achtzehender Theil der Newen Welt, 14 engraved folding maps, Frankfurt: Johann Frederick Weiss, 1623.
    Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 341: John James Audubon, Carolina Parrot, Plate 26, London, 1827.
  • Sotheby’s
    Book Week
    December 9-17, 2025
    Sotheby’s, Dec. 11: Darwin and Wallace. On the Tendency of Species to form Varieties..., [in:] Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society, Vol. III, No. 9., 1858, Darwin announces the theory of natural selection. £100,000 to £150,000.
    Sotheby’s, Dec. 11: J.K. Rowling. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, 1997, first edition, hardback issue, inscribed by the author pre-publication. £100,000 to £150,000.
    Sotheby’s, Dec. 11: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Autograph sketchleaf including a probable draft for the E flat Piano Quartet, K.493, 1786. £150,000 to £200,000.
    Sotheby’s, Dec. 12: Hooke, Robert. Micrographia: or some Physiological Descriptions of Minute Bodies made by Magnifying Glasses. London: James Allestry for the Royal Society, 1667. $12,000 to $15,000.
    Sotheby’s, Dec. 12: Chappuzeau, Samuel. The history of jewels, first edition in English. London: T.N. for Hobart Kemp, 1671. $12,000 to $18,000.
    Sotheby’s, Dec. 12: Sowerby, James. Exotic Mineralogy, containing his most realistic mineral depictions, London: Benjamin Meredith, 1811, Arding and Merrett, 1817. $5,000 to $7,000.
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